Kids like me and Jadon had to leave City if we wanted a game... and a future SAYS TYRESE CAMPBELL

EXCLUSIVE

elsewhere. I don’t think the competition is that fair there.

“You look at Phil Foden, who I grew up playing with and who could probably get into any Premier League team.

“He’s a great player, a top player, but he’s not even getting a regular run of games now.

“Jadon Sancho (right) was there as well, but he had to leave the club to play.

“There’s a lot of lads there now who should be playing in first teams that are not.

“I just thought, ‘What’s the point?’, City can go out and buy £100million players, so I thought it’s better to get out to give myself a fair chance.

“I’ve been at Stoke for five years now – and I’ve really enjoyed it.

“They’ve given me a fair chance and I’m just hoping I can repay them now for the faith they have shown in me. “When you have a manager like Michael O’neill (at Stoke), who believes in you and trusts you to do the job well, all you want to do is repay the confidence he’s put in you.

“I definitely feel that under the new manager.

“I felt more like an impact sub under the old manager Nathan Jones. I felt I wasn’t getting a fair go with the old one, but that’s football.” Campbell is just making his first big steps in the game, having penned a new, four-and-a-half year deal with the Championship Potters. And although the Staffordshire club have been in an unexpected relegation fight, Campbell has been a breath of fresh air at bet365 Stadium this season with seven league goals. Having been scouted by City when he was aged six, Campbell also came through the ranks with Tom Delebashiru (Watford), Edward Francis (Wolves), Joel Latibeaudiere and Luke Bolton (still at Man City) and Mace Goodridge (Burnley).

But, ultimately, the ambitious centre-forward turned down a scholarship deal at City in favour of signing for Stoke.

“My dad loves it when I’m playing and scoring,” he said. “I think he’s very proud of what I’ve achieved – and I think the rest of my family are as well.

“I aim to make him and my family proud – that means a lot to me.”

“If I had half the career my dad had, I’d be very happy.

“Watching dad while I was growing up, I always wanted to follow in his footsteps.”